Sonko:Nkaissery issues orders on unauthorised sirens

All vehicles with sirens except the President and his deputy’s, ambulances, police cars and fire engines should be impounded, Interior CS Joseph Nkaissery has said.

Nkaissery has also directed acting IG Samuel Arachi to charge the owners of the vehicles with contravening the Traffic Act on the use of sirens and strobe lights.

“Some PSVs including matatus have been known to have horns which resemble sirens. Similarly, some funeral homes have also been noted to fit their vehicles with sirens. From today henceforth, all vehicles which are not supposed to have sirens and are fitted with the same, must have them removed immediately,” he said in a statement on Monday.

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Nkaissery noted that the abusive use of the devices hinders the clearing of roads under genuine special circumstances.

“The law recognises that there are certain vehicles and instances when movement on the road has to be sped up or hastened to save lives or respond to emergency situations.

“It should be noted that unwarranted or abusive use of sirens may have the net effect of attracting unnecessary contempt and even making motorists to be reluctant to give way, jeopardising genuine cases where the same is being used,” Nkaissery said.

His directive follows reports that some motorists use sirens to drive others out of the way.

Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko’s black Hummer which is part of his security detail, is reportedly fitted with sirens.

The car’s driver allegedly forced a matatu off Kapiti road in South B on Saturday to make way for him.